NEW DELHI, Sept 26: Chhattisgarh has no objection to implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), state Chief Minister Raman Singh said today.
“Chhattisgarh has no objection on GST. We only want that state’s loss of revenue is taken care of as there will be annual loss of Rs 1,000-1,200 crore,” Singh told reporters here.
The Chief Minister said he had raised the matter earlier with the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
“I had met Pranab Mukherjee, when he was Finance Minister, and urged him to compute the states loss. There has to be a planning and provision to compensate states’ loss for five-ten years.
“It (provision for compensation on account of loss of states’ revenue) should not be closed after one or two years of its (GST) implementation,” Singh said.
The previous UPA government had accused the BJP-ruled states of stalling progress of the GST regime, which is considered to be a very significant step in the field of indirect tax reforms in the country as it would amalgamate a large number of central and state taxes into a single one.
Some days back, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has made it clear that he did not have any objection on GST.
The idea of moving towards GST was first mooted by the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram in his budget for 2006-07. Initially, it was proposed that GST would be introduced by April 1, 2010. However, several deadlines have been missed and it is yet to be rolled out.
It is pertinent to mention that the Chief Minister had written many letters to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the GST matter. .
“Every states has its own needs. It should be taken care of,” Singh said when asked for response over his reservations on cash subsidy transfer, Food Security Act and NCTC.
To a question over recent Supreme Court ruling cancelling some of the coal blocks in Chhattisgarh, he said the coal production from these mines will not be stopped.
It may be recalled that Coal India has been asked to take over operations of the disputed mines.
“The coal production will continue. The coal blocks will not be stopped from production,” the Chief Minister of coal-rich state said.
He said that state government is taking steps to check naxalism. “As many as 250 naxalites have surrendered in past three months which is record high. We have raised compensation for surrendered naxalites which is Rs one crore for a central committee member. We are making schools and roads. There will soon be a good time,” Singh said highlighting some of the steps being taken by his administration to check naxalism. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel